Chapter 10

Lei Meng, brimming with confidence, shouted loudly to everyone, "Mount up, we're setting off."

Over a hundred people responded with a resounding cheer, mounting their horses in unison. Their armor gleamed, and their weapons were sharp, presenting a formidable military appearance. At the front of the formation, a burly hunter raised his hand and shook it, causing a hunting flag depicting a majestic eagle to flutter in the wind.

Seeing such a powerful and impressive military formation, Zhou Lu felt a sense of novelty and excitement. He eagerly led his chestnut horse and, despite his plump body, nimbly swung himself onto the saddle.

Lei Meng, satisfied, nodded at Zhou Lu. Just as he was about to raise his hand to shout "Set off," a loud drumbeat suddenly echoed from the valley.

The drumbeat was powerful and vigorous, as if a thousand troops were advancing. The drumbeats fell like a torrential rain, creating a formidable atmosphere, much like a robust lion challenging its opponent with sharp claws.

The drumbeat drowned out all other sounds.

The faces of all the members of the Eagle Wing Cavalry's Sixth Squadron changed. Lei Meng, sitting on his horse, kept his hand raised, then awkwardly lowered it, his face showing a look of frustration.

On the other side of the valley, the Fox Hunt Squadron was stationed. The Fox Hunt Squadron belonged to the Fox Hunt Falcon, and like the Eagle Wing Army, was responsible for guarding the western border of the tribe.

For a long time, the two falcon units had been vying for the honor of being the best army in the west, often engaging in open and covert competition. Sometimes, the Fox Hunt Army would defeat a group of sand bandits, only for the Eagle Wing Army to join the battle halfway and claim the victory. Other times, the Eagle Wing Army would obtain a batch of excellent military equipment from the tribe, only for the Fox Hunt to intercept it beforehand...

The leaders of the two falcon units had no shortage of arguments and confrontations at the military council meetings in the Elder Hall.

The rear camps of the Eagle Wing Sixth Squadron and the Fox Hunt Squadron were both set up in this valley. The camps were close to each other, and the hunters under their command, with their excessive energy, often provoked and insulted each other. After the insults, they would send people to fight one-on-one, with mixed results. The winning side would cheer and humiliate the other, while the losing side would be determined to find a way to provoke the other side and regain their pride.

Over time, the two units had developed a deep-seated rivalry, each looking at the other with disdain and resentment.

Today, just as Lei Meng was about to shout "Set off," the other side started drumming. Although it wasn't intentionally to suppress the morale of Lei Meng's unit, it still made Lei Meng, the centurion, extremely angry.

Lei Meng gritted his teeth and shouted at the scout beside him, "What's wrong with the Fox Hunt? Why are they drumming now? Are they itching for a beating? Go tell them that I'll deal with them when my unit returns from duty."

The thin scout smiled bitterly and rode over. Amidst the thunderous drumbeat, he shouted, "Centurion, I heard that the captain of the Fox Hunt Squadron, Hu Biao, has brought a heroic archer from the tribe. He will arrive at their camp soon. I think they are drumming to welcome the heroic archer."

"A heroic archer?"

Lei Meng's face changed, his brows furrowing in a fierce scowl. After a moment, he suddenly cursed, "Damn it, I've submitted so many reports, asking for a heroic archer for years, and I haven't even seen a glimpse of one. Hu Biao, relying on his connection to the Great Elder, brings one back so easily? Is this even fair?"

Thinking of the formidable skills of a heroic archer, Lei Meng's temples throbbed with anger.

On the plains, archery with a hard bow is an extremely complex and profound martial art. Those with the talent to master it to a divine level are revered as heroic archers.

The power level of a heroic archer may not be very high, but their archery skills are terrifying. Such hunters are proficient in both long-range and close combat, killing enemies like ghosts, making them difficult to defend against.

In close combat, they can use a bow in various ways, each arrow as fast as a meteor, with angles that are both strange and precise. In their rain of arrows, enemies have no chance to get close before being shot down.

Except for top-tier hunters who have opened all eight barbaric meridians, other hunters are all intimidated by heroic archers. If a unit has such a hunter, their chances of survival on the battlefield will be significantly increased.

Thinking of the other side getting a heroic archer, every member of the Sixth Squadron felt indignant. From now on, their days would be tough, and they would likely be humiliated repeatedly.

The sound of hooves echoed clearly.

At the entrance of the valley, two riders rode side by side.

One was clad in a red python armor, tall and proud, with a mole at the corner of his mouth that gave his smile a sly look. He was Hu Biao, the captain of the Fox Hunt Squadron. The other sat on a magnificent red flame hunting horse, its hooves light and swift. Looking up, she was graceful and beautiful, with long hair cascading over her shoulders, wearing a colorful soft armor and carrying a powerful black gold hard bow. She was a female hunter with a certain charm.

A female heroic archer?

The hunters of the Sixth Squadron gulped, and Zhou Lu, mixed in the crowd, stared with wide eyes.

Hu Biao, about to enter the valley from this mountain pass, noticed the expressions of Lei Meng and his men from a distance. He smiled smugly, deliberately slowing his horse, chatting and laughing with the female archer, riding proudly past the Sixth Squadron as if inspecting them.

A blatant provocation.

Lei Meng and his men had done such provocations many times before, but today, being on the receiving end, they felt a surge of anger. Lei Meng, however, had no excuse to lash out on the spot. Sitting on his horse, he watched the pair with a gnawing frustration, clenching and unclenching a knife in his hand.

Behind Lei Meng, his men were all breathing heavily.

But what could they do? They could only watch helplessly as the other side gloated. Who could blame them for not having a heroic archer?

Hu Biao, looking at Lei Meng and his men, felt so smug that he was almost floating. Showing off in front of these old rivals was the most satisfying thing he had done in recent years.

"Ha ha ha, Qian Ji, don't look. How can our Fox Hunt Squadron be a bunch of废物? These are the Eagle Wing Sixth Squadron. Our Fox Hunt Squadron is ahead. See, after that gentle slope, that's where we are."

Lei Meng couldn't hold back any longer. His face turned red, and he shouted, "Hu Biao, who are you calling a废物? Don't get so cocky just because you got a little benefit."

Hu Biao, feeling even more excited by Lei Meng's anger, ignored him and pointed at the Sixth Squadron, laughing and whispering to the female heroic archer, introducing something.

Lei Meng didn't need to hear to know that Hu Biao was saying some very insulting things. Just as he was about to retort, the female hunter suddenly noticed Zhou Lu in the crowd. Her eyes lit up, and she giggled, pointing at Zhou Lu and shouting, "I know this person, I know this person. Last night at the Sacrifice Square, I saw this guy. Ha ha, at that time, he only summoned a flame war soul that couldn't even ignite a curtain, and the Great Elder, in a fit of anger, expelled him from the Heavenly Demon Hall and sent him to the Eagle Wing Squadron. Sure enough, he's here..."

The female hunter's face was full of mockery, and she pointed at Zhou Lu, laughing uncontrollably.

The men of the Eagle Wing Sixth Squadron all looked ashamed, and Lei Meng, hearing this, choked back the words he was about to say, feeling depressed and helpless.

No matter how strong Zhou Lu was, at least his useless war soul and the stain of being expelled by the Great Elder couldn't be erased. Now that the other side had a hold on this, Zhou Lu was in for a rough time.

Sure enough, Hu Biao didn't disappoint. Seizing the opportunity, he pointed at Lei Meng and his men, laughing and saying, "Ha ha, still saying they're not废物? Why would the Great Elder send that little punk to you? Birds of a feather flock together. This shows what kind of people are in the Eagle Wing Sixth Squadron."

The men of the Sixth Squadron were insulted to the core but had no words to counter, feeling indignant. Many looked at Zhou Lu with dissatisfaction, only to see him smiling calmly, seemingly unfazed. Zhou Lu rode out of the formation, coming to Lei Meng's side. Suddenly, as if he had noticed something, his eyes widened in surprise, and he whistled loudly.

The female hunter's horse neighed and reared up, almost throwing her off.

Hu Biao and Qian Ji's laughter abruptly stopped. Qian Ji struggled to control her horse, looking rather flustered. After finally calming the horse, she panted, her eyebrows furrowed, surprised that the little punk had such skill with horses.

Hu Biao, however, was not pleased. With a clang, he drew his hunting knife, pointing it at Zhou Lu, his face twisted in anger. "Kid, you're asking for it."

Zhou Lu, as if he hadn't heard Hu Biao, stared straight at Qian Ji's red flame horse, his face full of excitement. "Dazhuang, is that you? It really is you! Ha ha, you've been away from our Thirty-Seventh Hunting Ground for three years, and now I finally see you again. Back then, we were inseparable, and I was so upset when you were sold..."

Zhou Lu's words left everyone stunned. Qian Ji's red flame horse snorted and shook its head, as if responding to Zhou Lu.

Qian Ji was taken aback. As the owner of the red flame horse, she knew it came from the Thirty-Seventh Hunting Ground but didn't expect it to have such a connection with the little punk. No wonder the little punk's whistle could make the horse rear up.

Hu Biao sneered, snorting and slowly sheathing his long knife. "So, he's a madman. No wonder, there's no one normal in the Sixth Squadron."

His words infuriated Lei Meng and his men even more.

Qian Ji, upset that her beloved horse didn't listen to her, looked at Zhou Lu with a scowl. "Is this horse your brother?"

She emphasized the word "brother," essentially calling Zhou Lu an animal. Hu Biao laughed even harder.

Zhou Lu nodded earnestly, "Yes, yes, Dazhuang is my brother. Back then, we ate and slept together, never apart..."

Hu Biao found it even more amusing, and Qian Ji's lips curled in a mocking smile.

Zhou Lu then sighed, "But what a pity, our fates are so different. I have to work hard, while you, Dazhuang, get to be ridden by such a soft and comfortable butt. You must be so happy all day long."

"Dazhuang, Dazhuang, are you so happy that you've forgotten me?"

Before Zhou Lu could finish, Hu Biao's laughter choked in his throat, his face turning iron gray. Qian Ji's face turned bright red, her forehead beaded with cold sweat, feeling awkward whether to stay on the horse or get off.

Dazhuang...

Hearing the name Zhou Lu gave the red flame horse, Qian Ji's forehead was covered in black lines, almost losing her composure.

"Ha ha ha..."

The men of the Eagle Wing Sixth Squadron, riding their horses, laughed so hard that they couldn't straighten up, and some even fell off their horses.

Only now did they understand what Zhou Lu was doing.

The little punk was shameless to an outrageous degree.

Who knew if the story about Dazhuang was true. Pretending to be foolish, he didn't use a single dirty word but managed to insult the other side so much that they wanted to find a hole to hide in.

"Zhou Lu's brother... Dazhuang... being ridden by a soft and comfortable butt..."

Lei Meng choked on his laughter, coughing on his horse, then pointed at Zhou Lu, laughing so hard he couldn't speak.

The men of the Eagle Wing Squadron looked at Zhou Lu with a completely different expression. They felt a sense of camaraderie, and Zhou Lu's words had made them feel good. They accepted this cunning and fat punk from the bottom of their hearts.

Some even looked at Qian Ji's seat with a suggestive glance.

Hu Biao's face was ugly in the laughter, his lips twitching as he cursed, "Bastard, madman, you'll end up being a slave, envying your horse brother. You'll be ridden and cursed..."

Hu Biao, unable to find a way to counter, resorted to personal attacks.

Zhou Lu nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes..."

Seeming to agree with Hu Biao.

Hu Biao was taken aback, about to mock Zhou Lu for being a fool, but Zhou Lu continued, "I wish I were a horse to be ridden. I really want to be ridden by that soft and comfortable butt, even if I'm cursed. I just don't know if they'll agree..."

He then looked at Qian Ji with a shy expression.

"Ha ha ha..."

The Eagle Wing Sixth Squadron erupted in laughter, everyone's face red and necks swollen, their horses neighing in unison.

Playing this kind of game, Zhou Lu had mastered it by the time he was ten. In his eyes, anyone who acted superior should be humiliated to death.

Qian Ji, sitting there, was trembling with anger, her hands shaking uncontrollably. As a respected heroic archer, she had never been insulted like this. But she forgot that she had mocked Zhou Lu first.

Hu Biao couldn't hold back any longer, his anger boiling over. His face turned iron gray, and he leaped off his horse, hand on his knife, striding towards Zhou Lu.

"Hmm? What is he doing?"

The laughter in the Eagle Wing Sixth Squadron gradually subsided.

Lei Meng narrowed his eyes, jumping off his horse, looking coldly at the approaching Hu Biao. He wasn't afraid of a fight.

Zhou Lu and the others also dismounted.

Hu Biao's face was twisted in a fierce scowl. His men had been humiliated, and he couldn't let this go and still be the captain of the Fox Hunt Squadron.

Hu Biao stopped about three paces from Zhou Lu, raising his riding whip and throwing it at Zhou Lu's feet.

"Kid, you asked for it. Pick up the whip, and I'll give you a lesson on how to speak properly..."

Hu Biao's face was iron gray.

A mountain breeze blew, making everyone's clothes flutter. No one spoke, the atmosphere tense.

"A duel? Hu Biao is challenging Zhou Lu to a duel?"

Everyone looked at each other in surprise.

On the plains, only those with deep-seated grudges would throw a riding whip at someone, indicating a fight that must draw blood. If you were a warrior and cared about your dignity, you couldn't refuse such a duel.

Lei Meng hadn't expected Hu Biao to be so angry, and the situation was getting out of control. Everyone looked at Zhou Lu with concern, having already accepted him as one of their own. They didn't know how he would handle this pressure.

The men's eyes were filled with worry.

Zhou Lu looked at the riding whip at his feet, then pointed at his nose, asking in surprise, "You want to teach me a lesson?"

Hu Biao looked down arrogantly, snorting.

The men behind Zhou Lu were restless: Zhou Lu fighting the captain of the Fox Hunt Squadron? That's suicide...

Hu Biao was a sixth-level battle hunter.

This was not a good situation.

Zhou Lu slowly extended his hand, and everyone's hearts were in their throats.

Zhou Lu suddenly smiled, his hand stopping in mid-air without picking up the whip. "Teach me? Go play somewhere else. I won't fight you. See how you teach me."

He then kicked the whip away with his foot.

Hu Biao, who was ready to draw his knife, almost fainted from the rush of blood to his head.

"You... you..."

Hu Biao was beyond angry. He hadn't expected Zhou Lu to be so shameless, even refusing a duel in public. He was so angry he didn't know what to say:

"You're just a coward who can only insult but not fight. You're a coward, a coward, and a wimp. You refuse a duel. I see now, you're just a bastard, not a true warrior of the plains."

"Idiot."

Zhou Lu smiled indifferently, shrugging. "I'm a coward, a bully, and I've never had